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Monday, December 27, 2010

I make our Christmas cards every year. Yes, I'm crazy. This year it took me a whole week every night after work and a day or two during naptime. Here they are...

The circle flap is supposed to be taken off and hung on the tree as an ornament, but no one got it. Sad.

I try to come up with something new and original every year, and I'm really proud of this year's.

I think our photo turned out really well, too. I just set up my camera on a barstool and set the timer. I think it's really cute. Just ignore the fact that my husband isn't wearing his wedding band. We are still married, he's just forgetful.

Sunday, December 26, 2010

I decided to make gifts for my cousins this Christmas, for no other reason than I'm crazy. I think they were a hit Christmas morning, so maybe I did something right. I made 10 total, and they were all completely different, but of course, I didn't get a picture of all of them, so here are a couple.

I started with blank wood plaques I got at JoAnn for a couple bucks (rectangular for the boys, curvy for the girls). On some of them, I painted the wood opaque white before painting the edge a color, but on most some of them, I just did a light whitewash with a sponge roller. Then I painted the edge with one of the acrylic paints I had in my stash, and distressed them a little.

I created the monograms in Photoshop (using Rockwell font), printed them, traced the smaller initials onto the plaque, and the larger initial onto fancy scrapbook paper.

Hmm, my first attempt at cutting out an S didn't turn out so well. I didn't realize I had to trace the reverse onto the paper since I was cutting it out from the back side. Duh!

Much better the second time around!

I painted the first and middle initials onto the wood using black acrylic.

When I traced the initials onto the wood, I made marks at the top and bottom of the big initial for placement later. I just Mod Podged it on.

I did some simple quilling, and voila!

After all the quilling was done, I sprayed a glossy clear sealant on them to protect the paper. You can see from this picture that I started out doing more intricate designs, but each of those took three hours each, and I decided I didn't have enough time for that, so I simplified my design. I still think they look pretty good, though.

The finished product included a ribbon for hanging!

Here's a close-up of one of the more intricate ones.

I love quilling. It is so fun and rewarding, but time consuming. Remind me to start making my gifts in October next year.

It's hard to see them in this pic, but I get the most compliments on these $3 earrings! Some say they look like snowmen, others say guitars, but really they're just two little circles connected with a chain.

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

I've been wanting to do a post on my favorite ornaments so I could play along with Flamingo Toes' Our Favorite Ornaments Party, but my ornaments and I were three states apart. Now that we're all reunited, here they are!

Of course, who doesn't have a s'mores ornament? We bought this one (obviously) for our first Christmas together.

I bought these ice skates for our "rustic" tree and I love how it looks like they were just haphazardly thrown over the branch.

I love anything Disney, so this Mickey and Minnie ornament makes me happy. We got it at Disney World last year and it resides on our rustic tree as well.

We bought this ice cream cone ornament at the Southern Christmas Show either last year or the year before (I can't remember). The bottom is an actual mini ice cream cone and the top is a ball ornament. Clever, huh?

My aunt bought me this little owl in New York last month, and I just love him.

I bought a set of 4 of these at Target three years ago and they make me smile each time I take them out of the box.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

So this is what I wore two weeks ago, not this past week. Um, yeah, I'm too lazy to plug my camera in, plus I think I only got one, maybe two, pics from this week. I'm really starting to slack off!

Jingle bell necklace: Macy's

Tank, sweater & jeans: AE

Shoes: Payless

Steven's company Christmas party. Attire: holiday casual. What exactly does that mean anyway?

Necklace: Target

Shirt: Gap

Sweater: Charlotte Russe

Jeans: AE

Heels: Payless many years ago

Um, I don't think I'll be attempting this look again. I thought it was cute and trendy when I put it on, but I was uncomfortable the whole day and now I just think it looks, um, trashy. Substitute the shorts for a knee-length pencil skirt and I think it could work.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

I haven't done a WIWW post in *gasp* THREE weeks. In my defense, though, I have been a little busy. The following photos are all I got in three whole weeks... I guess I'm starting to slack off. And I don't remember the days or what I was doing.

T-shirts: ASU

Jeans: AE

Shoes: Payless

Tank: Old Navy

Shirt: A&F

Jeans: A&F

Shoes: Sperry

Shirt: Kristin Davis for Belk

Vest: AE

Jeans: AE

Shoes: Express

Sweater & Jeans: AE

Boots: Bass Outlet

Shirt: Kristin Davis for Belk

Scarf: New store at mall called "Glitter". All the earrings and accessories are $1 and the scarves are 1 for $5 or 2 for $9, so of course I had to get this ASU-colored scarf and a plain black one, plus some earrings and Christmas gifts for the girls at work. That store is awesome.

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

So even though we're only going to be at our house for a week before Christmas, I just had to spend the weekend after Thanksgiving decking the halls. After all, when we move back home on the 19th, I'm going to be a little preoccupied unpacking so thinking about decorating for Christmas at the same time would be a little overwhelming!

Of course we had to get a real tree, since we didn't get to have one last year. I love it but it was so hard to decorate because the branches are so dense! I guess it's better too full than not full enough. I should have taken some close-up pics of our ornaments, but maybe I will when we get back home. And I love the new throw I got at Target for $10 to hide the cat scratches on the arm of our lovely leather couch.

Garland on the chandelier: Hobby Lobby - $4. I think I'll get another strand for next year so I can extend it down the arms as well. I usually have lovely gold-flecked candle holders on the table as well, but of course those are in Ohio.

I love these snack plates Steven got from a co-worker last year. The table runner and napkins I got at Bed Bath & Beyond a couple years ago after Christmas for 75% off.

I love our china. It doesn't get used nearly enough, but it so pretty just sitting on the table (Waterford Kilbarry Platinum, in case you're interested). I got the snowflake napkin rings last year at Belk after Christmas. I think they were only a dollar or two each. I was going to set out our stemware, but was too afraid of the cats jumping up there and knocking them off.

I made the ribbon card holder a couple years ago. So easy! Take some ribbon, make a bow, hot glue it to another piece of ribbon, make a loop on the back for hanging, mod podge or hot glue some wrapping paper onto clothes pins and you're done! I also added some beaded curlicues as decoration.

I also have all of the Hallmark jingle pals sitting on the stairs (They come out with a new one each year and I have all 6. I love them.), and Steven's Appalachian Santas on the console table in the foyer. Somehow I missed getting a picture of those.

I am in a very festive mood. All I want to do is wear my Santa earrings, my jingle bell necklace, my Christmas socks and undies, drink hot chocolate, and watch Christmas movies. But I have to work on our Christmas cards, do a ton more shopping, not to mention lots of presents to make... oy. Why didn't I do all this in October and November so I could enjoy Christmas without the stress? But the stress is part of what makes Christmas fun, I think.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

I was so busy last week that I didn't have a chance to post a WIWW, so I'm doing two weeks' worth today!

Last week:

Day: Wednesday

Where: Work

Shirt: Hand-me-down from my mom

Jeans: AE

Shoes: Sperry

Day: Thursday

Where: Work

Sporting the black and orange for Halloween!

Shirt: Gap

Scarf: Gift from a former co-worker

Jeans: AE

Shoes: Payless

Day: Friday

Where: Work

The kids at work got a kick out of my "costume". Actually, Thursday I told them that I was wearing my costume tomorrow and the first thing the 4-year-old said when I got there was "What are you?" and the 3-year-old said "She's a monster!" Umm, do you not see the pumpkin stem on my head? I've only wanted to a be a pumpkin for Halloween my whole life.

Pumpkin stem: Target dollar section. It was actually a kids headband. I ripped the stem part off and hot glued a hair clip to the back.

Shirt: Gap

Scarf: Gift

Jeans: AE

Tights: Target

Shoes: Kohl's

Day: Saturday

Where: Driving to NC

Red shirt: AE

Tee: Harry Caray's Chicago

Jeans: AE

Shoes: Kohl's

Day: Sunday

Where: Church

Cardi and tank: AE

Skirt: Banana Republic

Shoes: Shoe Dept

Day: Monday

Where: Errands and dinner with friends

Shirt: J. Crew via Plato's Closet (I actually traded 5 old shirts that I never wear for this one, plus I got $3 back! Plato's is my new fave place.)

Jeans: AE

Shoes: Payless

This week:

Day: Thursday

Where: Work

Sweater: Belk

Jeans: AE

Shoes: Kohl's

Day: Friday

Where: Work

Hat: Target

Sweater: AE

Jeans: A&F

Shoes: Macy's

Day: Saturday

Where: Out to lunch and running errands

Shirt: J. Crew via Plato's Closet

Jeans: AE

Boots: Yay! I ordered these from Shoebuy.com and I love them! They're not all that warm, but aren't they cute?